iRobot Roomba i7+ review – a robot vacuum with surprising features

iRobot just launched their latest models in the Roomba series, and their top of the line is now the iRobot Roomba i7+. As usual, this new vacuum doesn’t disappoint. It comes with two unique features never seen before, and which make cleaning your home an even more hands-free activity, if that could even be possible. With a unique environment mapping and a self-emptying functionality, I’m going to make the safe bet that the Roomba i7+ will take the vacuum industry by storm this fall. Cleaning your home is now easier and more effective with this new robot vacuum. But enough on its pros, what about it’s cons? In this review you’ll find out:

• which are the complete specifications of the i7+
• if this robot vacuum is worth the stiff price
• how it compares with the older Roombas out there, including the standard i7, the cheaper e5 and the older 980
• what’s like to use it
• if this product is good for you

iRobot Roomba i7+ quick specs

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Detailed features

Powerful suction

The vacuum’s suction power peaks at 1800 Pa. The suction strength is enough to dislodge stuck dirt and debris, especially if your floor is carpeted. The power varies, though, depending on the mode the vacuum is running on. The 1800 Pa represents the Turbo mode while the Eco mode will see the vacuum suck up dirt at 1000Pa. The Roomba i7+ features sensors that detect areas with more or heavier dirt (such as carpets), and will adjust its suction power to ensure thorough cleaning. i7+ uses the same 3-Stage cleaning technology we saw in older models. It features dual brushes. One of the brushes acts to agitate dirt to loosen it, while the other rotates in the other direction to pull in the loosened dirt. The third stage involves using the powerful suction to get the dirt into the bin. This cleaning system results in efficient cleaning for any type of floor.

The brushes of this robot vacuum won’t get tangled by pet or human hair. Instead of bristles, the brushes are made of rubber. This feature would come in handy if you have pets in your home. The rubber brushes are also uniquely treaded to ensure constant contact with the floor. To further ensure the brushes are ever hugging the floor, the vacuum features an automatic height adjustment for the cleaning head. It enables them to remove dirt from any flooring, whether bare hardwood or carpeted.

Good battery

The i7+ comes with a rechargeable 3300 mAh lithium-ion battery. The battery takes 3 hours to attain full charge, after which it runs the vacuum for 120 minutes. This may not be much considering there are already a number of vacuums which have batteries of higher capacities and longer runtimes. However, is not a big deal since the vacuum can always go back to the dock station for a recharge.

Large dust bin capacity

One unique thing about this Roomba i7+ is that unlike its predecessors, you won’t need to empty its dustbin manually. It comes with a charging dock that also doubles up as the larger dustbin. According to the manufacturer, the bin on the charging dock is capable of holding up to 30 vacuum bins. This feature eliminates the need to empty the vacuum’s 10 oz bin on a daily basis. It also relieves you of the need to do it yourself, as activity can be time consuming and messy.

Unfortunately, you will have to buy every once in a while packs with disposable bags. A 3-pack such as the one below costs $15:

High filtration efficiency

The Roomba i7+ removes the smallest of particles from the air, up to 0.3 microns in size. It features a high-efficiency filter that traps dust, pollen, and pet dander from the air. According to the manufacturer, it will capture up to 99% of dirt and debris for clean air free of allergens. The filter is made from a high-performing material and is also thicker in construction. It’s the replaceable type, which means you need to put in a new once the current one becomes clogged with dirt. The vacuum comes with an extra filter to start you off.

Weight and dimensions

The iRobot Roomba i7+ measures 13.34 inches in diameter and 3.63 inches in height. The diameter is not really that important, but the height is, and 3.6 inches is just enough to go under most  pieces of furniture. Due to its medium-low profile, it will easily go underneath obstacles such as furniture when cleaning your home. This allows it to sweep hard-to-reach areas. It weighs 7.4 lbs, which is light enough to carry it up and down the stairs, assuming that you want to vacuum several floors. You will find it adequately small-sized for portability and easy storage.

Warranty

The iRobot Roomba i7 comes backed by a 1-year manufacturer warranty, just like the rest of the models in the series.

Accessories

On buying this vacuum, you will receive the following.

• A Clean Base for the automatic disposal of the vacuum’s dirt ( it comes as part of the charging dock and consists of a vacuuming mechanism)
• Two disposable dirt bags (they’re meant to start you off )
• One virtual wall barrier (dual mode, with AA batteries included)
• One extra high-efficiency filter for replacement
• One extra side brush
• A North American power cord to connect the charge station to the power outlet

Special features

The new Roomba i7+ comes with an array of useful features to make it more efficient and autonomous. These are:

Smart Mapping Technology

Robot vacuums map the area they clean, but the mapping of the i7+ is way different. While other vacuums will forget the maps they create, this one stores every floor plan of your home. It then uses the mapping to learn the location of obstacles, doorways, the layout of rooms, and more. It only takes it a few rounds of cleaning rounds to map a specific area fully. Later, it will use the plan for intelligent cleaning where it recognizes walls, obstacles and more. According to the manufacturers, the iRobot Roomba i7+ can store as many as 10 different plans for different floors. This means it can remember the rooms in your home such as the living room, the living room, and others.

Using the vacuum’s stored floor plan, you will then be able to customize its cleaning schedule. You can do so by dividing and naming the rooms in the iRobot Home app, after which you use the layout or map to program the vacuum. That means telling the robot what room to clean, or scheduling the cleaning of different rooms to happen on specific days. The ability of the iRobot Roomba i7+ to remember different areas also means it can clean various rooms on its own. Other robot vacuums would require you to lift them to the other rooms since they do not store floor plans.

Automatic Dirt Disposal

Another feature of the Roomba i7+, and one-of-its-kind, is the ability to empty itself. The robot comes with an upright structure that’s part of the dock station. This structure is a vacuum itself and serves to suck up dirt from the Roomba i7+ bin. It does this whenever the vacuum returns to charge and helps to keep the bin on the vacuum from filling up with dirt. No other vacuum has been able to do this so far. Users usually empty the bins manually, with the possibility of soiling themselves in the process. The fact that the i7+ can do it automatically makes it a robot vacuum worth having.

The emptied dirt goes into a disposable bag contained in the Clean Base. If you’re wondering what Clean Base is, here is the explanation; it’s the upright structure that forms a part of the vacuum’s docking station. It features a vacuuming system that empties the vacuum’s bin. The process takes from 10 to 15 seconds and is fully automatic.

The manufacturers of the iRobot Roomba i7+ claim the bag in the robot’s Clean Base can hold as many as 30 full bins of the Roomba i7+. It means you won’t be emptying it any time soon depending on how much dirt the vacuum picks off your floor. It could be weeks or even a month before it fills up. The bag is disposable, and the robot itself comes with two extra bins to get you started. After you’ve used up the dustbins offered on purchase, you will have to buy new ones. As I said, a pack of three will cost you $15 and last you several months.

The dust bag is fully enclosed, so you need not worry about dirt or allergens escaping into the air. As soon as it fills up, you will receive a notification through the iRobot Home application. To remove the filled bag, you just pull it out and put a new one in its place.

This new feature is, no doubt, a welcome one. Users have had to put up with emptying vacuum bins now and then, a process that was dusty and messy. Maybe you’re wondering what happens to the bin in the Roomba i7+ over time? The manufacturers made it easy to clean using water. They took out the motor from the bin and fixed it in the vacuum itself, freeing the bin for washing. You will only need to take it out every once in a while, rinse it in water, and let it dry before taking it back.

The Clean Base of the iRobot Roomba i7 is optional – in fact, that’s the only difference between i7 and i7+. You may have the vacuum you buy come with it or not. Should you need it later, you can always purchase it separately. The price lowers considerably if you opt for a Roomba i7 (without the Clean Base). But then, it would be without the automatic emptying which would really beat the purpose, at least IMO.

App Control

The iRobot Roomba i7+ features two control buttons on its upper side. However, being a robot vacuum, you should expect it to have a remote control functionality. This comes in the form of iRobot Home app that connects to the vacuum through WiFi. The app lets you control the robot in many ways. You can use it to schedule cleaning by using the vacuum’s stored floor plans. The app allows you to partition and name the rooms in your home for easier scheduling of tasks. You can also view the floor plans on the app as well as adjust cleaning settings.

The iRobot Roomba i7+ is also compatible with the two popular voice control platforms, Amazon’s Alexa and Google Assistant. Using them, you can issue voice commands for the vacuum to clean the rooms you’ve named.

Virtual Walls

Virtual walls further enhance navigation in the Roomba i7+. 1 dual wall comes together with the vacuum on purchasing it, and you can set it to enable the vacuum to recognize areas that are no-go zones. As a result, you can program it to avoid specific rooms.

Dirt Detection Technology

The iRobot Roomba i7+ comes with an innovative functionality called Dirt Detect. Acoustic sensors detect large particles such as sand, while optical sensors find pet hair and other lighter debris. As soon as the sensors send the signal of the presence of such dirt, the robot is activated to increase the cleaning mechanisms. The vacuum then cleans more strongly and spends more time on the specific area.

Edge Sweeping Feature

The edge and corner-sweeping brushes of this vacuum are inclined at 27 degrees. This enables the robot to remove sweep dirt and debris from tight spots, making the i7+ more efficient at cleaning your home.

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Where to buy

At the moment you can find this product directly on iRobot’s and HomeDepot‘s websites.

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Pros

• The self-emptying feature
• 3-stage cleaning that ensures a more thorough removal of dirt
• Highly-efficiency and thick filter for improved trapping of first and other allergens
• iRobot Home app for easier remote control
• Amazon’s Alexa and Google Assistant compatibility which allows for voice commands
• Powerful suction that delivers up to 10 times more pickup for dirt than the iRobot Roomba 600 series
• Rubber brushes and improved floor contact and to ensure pet and human hair doesn’t entangle
• Quieter than previous Roombas at about 60-68 dB
• iAdapt 3.0 Navigation and vSLAM mapping technology which allows the vacuum to create a better floor plan for intelligent cleaning

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Cons

• Expensive
• The CleanBase is not compatible with other Roomba models
• The dirtbag in the CleanBase is not reusable

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Final verdict

The iRobot Roomba i7+ is a great vacuum in many ways. There were some failed attempts in the past (Ecovacs and Samsung); now we can safely say that we have a robot vacuum that empties itself. We also have a robot that remembers the areas it has cleaned and uses the stored floor layouts to plan subsequent cleaning tasks. It makes this model of the Roomba one of the most autonomous robotic vacuums you can get. On top of that, it cleans efficiently, featuring a number of unique functionalities. The vacuum sucks up dirt from any floor and does it so well. Using the robot’s smart mapping technology and enhanced processing power, you can even program it to clean different rooms on its own. In conclusion, it has almost everything one would want in a robot vacuum.